I'm looking at control surfaces and I remember hearing some complaints about Sonar's ability to send machine data back and forth to different devices.
The one I'm settling on (even though I think it's sorta ugly looking) is the Behringer X-Touch with an X-Touch Compact expansion. (which uses Mackie)
 
Will Sonar X3 work with this device without a hitch? and what problems does Sonar X3 have with devices so I can avoid them.
 
 
On a sidenote, I wish I could just get an Avid Artist Mix, but I know the Euphonix line of products have minor issues with Sonar.

DragonBlood
On a sidenote, I wish I could just get an Avid Artist Mix, but I know the Euphonix line of products have minor issues with Sonar.

Don't know the answer to the Behringer question, but what are the Artist Series issues? I tested with Sonar when they first came out and they worked fine. Not sure if any subsequent updates on either side messed with that. 

The issue with the Artist series of products (not the Artist Mix specifically) was that you cant use or take advantage of the touch screen on the Artist Control.
 
Which would seem like a very specific thing to Avid cause that thing as a ton of features in it.
 
My only other problem is I dont have $1400 to buy it :)
 
edit: Oh and the wheel on it wouldn't work properly as well.

DragonBlood
The issue with the Artist series of products (not the Artist Mix specifically) was that you cant use or take advantage of the touch screen on the Artist Control.

Ah, that explains it. I was using only the Artist Mix.

I use the Berhringer BCF2000 control surface in X3 in Mackie mode. The thing that does not work well is controlling the Pro Channel. Only the top effect in the chain in a pro channel window can be manipulated. In the effects window I can select any effect in a chain and control any parameter. I use mine to mix mostly,(volume and pan) automation. I just find it faster to use the mouse for tweeking effects, and for editing tracks. For adding tracks, selecting tracks, record enable tracks, mute or solo tracks, it works great.

Backing what Thatastrat said...BCF2000 here as well.  I wish that the old EQ controls would still work the way they used to because it was a good intuitive way to control logically.  The ProChannel being the default EQ doesn't work the same way, so it kind of broke that aspect.  Aside from that, it works well for the other functions mentioned above.
 
That new Behringer interface looks pretty cool for the fact that it has a lot more control buttons on it and is better labeled (i.e. at all) than the BCF2000 is.  If all those extra features actually work as they are supposed to in Sonar, I'd imagine that it would be a hit.  I'd just make sure to get it from somewhere with a good return policy.
 
Also, since the Mackie DLL is now open source, I hope that someone with some programming experience will take up the challenge to try to pull something together that will get some more function out of the dll.

Hi,
 
is the Behringer X-Touch now available in the US? I am from Germany and here it is not available this time. What about the Behringer Motör-Keys? Are those available in the US? They will also use Mackie Control Protocol.
 
Timo

well what control surfaces do work well with Sonar X3? I need one that's very good and comfortable, that wont drive me nuts.

Also, is there a difference between Mackie and Midi mode when controlling Sonar? (X3)

Timo Finkbeiner

Hi,

 

is the Behringer X-Touch now available in the US? I am from Germany and here it is not available this time. What about the Behringer Motör-Keys? Are those available in the US? They will also use Mackie Control Protocol.

 

Timo

No, B&H Photo says it's expect October 30 though.

I don't know which control surfaces work well in Sonar X3. In the past, some people had problems with the Behringer X32 to get it work as it should. Some found out, that if you choose the VS-700 instead of mackie protocol in sonar it works. So it looked like a general problem between Sonar and Behringer and its mackie protocol. I use a Behringer UFX 1204 this time and there you have also control buttons for play, stop, record, forward, ... . When you choose makie protocol, nothing happened, but when choosing the VS-700, it works in Sonar X3. So I think there is still a little problem between Sonar and Behringer regarding there mackie protocol. Don't know why and why this is not in other DAW's. So maybe this problem still exists with the new X-Touch-Controllers. Before nobody had tested it we don't know.
 
Kind regards, Timo

My general experience is that the Mackie Control basics - faders, bank select, and panpots - pretty much always work. When you get into other functions, matters get more variable. For example I tested the SSL Nucleus, which worked with Sonar except if you tried to adjust the buses, it would lock up. Apparently someone at SSL came up with a template for Sonar but I haven't had a chance to try it.
 
Also remember that Mackie Control is a specification, not a standard. Controllers can implement as much or as little of the specification as they want. FYI the VS-700 is a Mackie-compatible controller - I use it as a control surface with Sonar Vegas and Propellerheads Reason.